Author Policies

Manuscript Preparation

Before submitting your manuscript, ensure that it follows the journal's formatting and structural guidelines. All manuscripts must be original, properly formatted, and free of any spelling or grammatical errors. The following elements must be included:

• Title Page: Includes title, names of authors, affiliations, corresponding author details, and acknowledgments.
• Abstract: A concise summary of the manuscript (150-250 words) outlining the main objectives, methodology, findings, and conclusions.
• Keywords: 3-5 words or phrases that describe the content of your article.
• Main Body: Includes an introduction, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. References should be cited in-text according to the journal’s reference style.
• References: All references must be listed at the end of the manuscript in the correct format. Only cited works should appear in the reference list.

Ensure the manuscript is double-spaced and submitted in .doc, .docx, or PDF format through our online submission system.

Plagiarism Policy

All manuscripts submitted to the African Journal of Demography and Population Studies must be free of plagiarism. The journal uses plagiarism detection tools to identify instances of copied material. If plagiarism is detected, the manuscript will be rejected immediately, and the author(s) may face restrictions on future submissions.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that they provide proper attribution and citations for any content or ideas that are not their own. Authors must avoid self-plagiarism (reusing their own previously published work) unless appropriate references are made.

Complaints Policy

The journal is committed to maintaining a transparent and ethical publication process. If you have any complaints regarding the editorial process, peer review, or editorial decisions, please contact the editorial office at [contact email].

We will review all complaints in accordance with the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines and provide a response within a reasonable timeframe. If your complaint involves issues such as misconduct or ethical violations, please provide detailed evidence to support your case.

Article Processing Charge (APC)

Upon acceptance, authors are required to pay an Article Processing Charge (APC) to cover the costs of peer review, editing, and publication. The APC is due once the manuscript is accepted for publication.

For authors from low- and middle-income countries, we offer discounted or waived APCs upon request. Please check our website for current APC rates or inquire with the editorial office if you have financial constraints.

Rights and Grants to the Author

Authors retain the copyright to their work but grant the journal a non-exclusive license to publish, distribute, and reproduce their article globally. The license is granted under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), which allows others to share, reuse, and adapt the article as long as proper attribution is given to the original authors and the journal.

Authors also have the right to reuse their work in other publications or academic projects, provided the proper citation to the original article is made. Authors are encouraged to keep their work accessible and share it in repositories where possible.

Data Sharing Policy

We strongly encourage authors to share the datasets supporting their research findings. Authors can deposit their data in recognized open-access repositories, such as Dryad, FigShare, or institutional repositories. Links to the datasets should be provided in the manuscript during submission.

If the data cannot be made publicly available due to privacy, ethical, or legal restrictions, authors must provide a clear explanation in the manuscript, including information about how and where the data can be accessed by interested parties.

Check List

Before submitting your manuscript, please ensure that the following elements are included:

• Title page with author details and acknowledgments.
• Abstract and keywords.
• Main text formatted according to the journal’s submission guidelines.
• References formatted correctly as per the journal’s style.
• Ethical approval statement, if applicable (for studies involving human or animal subjects).
• Conflict of interest statement (if applicable).

Submissions that do not meet these requirements will be returned to authors for revision and resubmission.

Sample Paper

To assist with the manuscript preparation process, we have provided a sample paper that illustrates proper formatting, section organization, and reference style. Authors are strongly encouraged to review the sample paper before submitting their work to ensure that it meets the journal's standards.

Copyright Policy

As part of our open-access publishing model, authors retain copyright over their work. However, the journal is granted a license to publish, distribute, and reproduce the article in any format or medium. Authors are free to reuse the article in other works, but they must ensure proper attribution to the journal.

Authors must also ensure that they have obtained the necessary permissions for any third-party content used in their article (e.g., images, tables, data). Authors are responsible for ensuring that their work complies with all copyright laws and regulations.

Open Access Policy

All articles published in the African Journal of Demography and Population Studies are made available under an open-access model. This means that anyone can freely access, download, and read articles without any subscription or access fees. By submitting to this journal, authors agree to make their work publicly available under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY).

Submission of Manuscript

Manuscripts must be submitted electronically via our online submission system. Authors should create an account on the submission portal and follow the prompts to upload their manuscript and other necessary documents (e.g., cover letter, copyright agreement).

We accept submissions in English. Manuscripts in other languages will be considered if they meet the journal's requirements, but authors should be aware that translation services may be needed at the author’s expense.

Errata, Retractions, and Corrigenda Policy

If errors are discovered in a published article, authors should submit a corrigendum or erratum to correct the mistake. Articles may be retracted if significant issues arise, such as plagiarism, data falsification, or violations of ethical guidelines. All errata, retractions, and corrigenda will be published in the journal and indexed appropriately.

APC Waiver Policy

Authors from low-income countries or those experiencing financial difficulties may apply for a waiver or reduction of the Article Processing Charge (APC). Requests for waivers will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and authors must provide appropriate documentation to support their request.

Human and Animal Rights Policy

All research involving human or animal subjects must comply with ethical standards. Authors must obtain ethics approval from an appropriate ethics committee or institutional review board (IRB) before conducting the study. A statement of ethical approval must be included in the manuscript. If applicable, authors should also provide evidence of informed consent from human participants.

Digital Preservation

The African Journal of Demography and Population Studies partners with trusted digital preservation organizations to ensure the long-term availability and accessibility of all published articles. We utilize strategies such as LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe) to ensure that all published content remains available for future generations of researchers.

Participant/Patient Privacy and Informed Consent

Research involving human participants must prioritize privacy and confidentiality. Authors must obtain informed consent from all participants and ensure that their identities are protected. The manuscript should include a statement indicating that informed consent was obtained, along with any relevant ethical approval details.

Licensing Policy

All content published in the African Journal of Demography and Population Studies is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This allows others to share, remix, adapt, and build upon the work, even for commercial purposes, provided the original author(s) are properly credited.

Author’s Agreement Form

Authors are required to sign an agreement form that outlines their responsibilities and the terms under which their work is published. This form must be submitted along with the manuscript to confirm the author's compliance with the journal’s policies, including the copyright and licensing agreements.

English Language Editing

If your manuscript is written in English but is not your first language, we recommend that you have the manuscript professionally edited for grammar, syntax, and clarity. The journal reserves the right to reject manuscripts that do not meet the required standard of English language proficiency.

Withdrawal Policy

Authors wishing to withdraw their manuscript from consideration must notify the editorial office in writing as soon as possible. Once a manuscript has been accepted or published, it cannot be withdrawn. Authors must provide a valid reason for withdrawal, and failure to comply with this policy may result in restrictions on future submissions.